Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20535 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Synopsis
The first ever intimate portrait of Britain's best-loved, but little known, comedy entertainer. Fully authorised, and written by Cooper's friend and colleague John Fisher. More than just a comedian, Tommy Cooper was a born entertainer. Working in a golden age of British comedy, Cooper stood - literally - head and shoulders above the crowd, and had a magical talent for humour that defied description. But there was a man behind the laughter that few people saw. John Fisher was Cooper's friend and colleague and witnessed first-hand the moments of self-doubt and inadequacy that contrasted with the genial exterior. Until his tragic death on live television in 1984, Tommy Cooper lived in constant fear of the day he would be found out by his audience. He could never accept the accolades that came so thick and fast from every direction, and died to the sounds of laughter that he never really believed.

Supplementing his own intimate knowledge with material accessed for the first time from the archives of Cooper's agent and manager, Miff Ferrie, and with the full co-operation of the Cooper family, John Fisher's warm, honest and insightful writing skilfully brings alive the man behind the comedic mask in this definitive biography of a comedy legend.

From the Inside Flap
More than just a comedian, Tommy Cooper was a born entertainer.
Working in a golden age of British comedy, Cooper stood - literally - head
and shoulders above the crowd, and had a magical talent for humour that
defied description.

With a love of laughter stemming from a magic performance gone wrong when
he was in his teens, Cooper enlisted in the army in 1939 and began to
perfect his comic timing on his army colleagues in the Egyptian desert. The
man with the fez was born.

Cooper was at the heart of the thriving British variety scene, adored by
his legions of fans and much revered by his fellow professionals. But there
was a man behind the laughter that few people saw. John Fisher was Cooper's
friend and colleague and witnessed first-hand the moments of self-doubt and
inadequacy that contrasted with the genial exterior. Until his tragic
death, which occurred in the middle of his act on live television in 1984,
Tommy Cooper lived in constant fear of the day he would be `found out' by
his audience. He could never believe the accolades that came so thick and
fast from every direction, and died to the sounds of laughter that he never
really believed.

Supplementing his own intimate knowledge with material accessed for the
first time from the archives of Tommy's agent and manager, Miff Ferrie, and
with the full cooperation of the Cooper family, John Fisher's warm, honest
and insightful account brings alive the man behind the comedic mask in this
definitive biography of a comedy legend.

Customer Reviews

mixed feelings
Overlong, definitely, verbose, definitely, showing off, definitely, but within all that, a readable book (at least I found it so and I am very quick to give up on books!) and an honest appraisal of a wonderful man, who came to us to make us laugh, even through his ill health and problems with drink. His many problems with his agent were perhaps over detailed but the relationship was essential to Tommy's career. A few more anecdotes from other comics would have helped but overall I was glad I read it and I don't say that lightly, as anyone reading my reviews will know ... !

...Needs perseverance
I'm embarassed to tell you how long it took me to finish this book. Suffice to say that I had to frequently overcome a compelling urge to give up on the whole thing because I found that I was not interested in the self-indulgent conjecture of the author.

Towards the end the occasional fact was allowed to creep in, which was nice considering this was why I bought the book. Unfortunately you have to witness the author disappearing up his own hypotheticals before you arrive there.

Just like this?
Two of the above critiques are so close to my own thoughts it's a bit spooky. the Author is a total 'guess who I know in showbiz' type author, but his fact finding is thorough to say the least. If I was a Cooper I would be a bit creeped out by the person who describes watching your mother through the shop window...
That, is truly spooky. Stalked her just like that. Window mother mother window...hurr hurr hurr.
The book is verbose (can a book be verbose?) but well worth reading. Just don't read it in the bath...You'll fall a sleep and drown. Just like that. I'll stop now.